BrianL
Doom Buggy Driver
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2013
I'll post some deeper thoughts now, in the double spoiler tags:
The opening is frantic and keeps you on edge - it did a great job of setting the tone for the film which never lets off the gas. I think that worked here, but it was definitely jam-packed!
While it is true that this movie went back on a lot of the major beats from TLJ, I don't think it repudiated them so much as brought in a different perspective. Characters grow and change. Luke can admit he was wrong without it invalidating the previous story - I think we all knew that, just some of us could accept that Luke might be wrong. He only did something that is right out of the Jedi playbook anyway as self-exile seems to be the go-to for a massive failure. That massive failure is also completely understandable now that it is known that Papaltine was always pulling the strings.
And Palpatine - man oh man, do I love him! Not to root for of course, but he's is so fun to watch. Ian McDiarmind is so great with that amazing evil cackle. And Sidious is such a butt-kicker - he went all Bendu (see Rebels) on those ships! BOOM! He's never messing around. I kinda hoped he would drop a light saber out of his sleeve and go at Rey for a minute - though she really might not have survived that!
I was a little worried about how Lando would come off, but he was amazing! Wonderful. I also loved Zori Bliss (looks so cool) and Babu Frik. Is it just me or are Zori and Poe going to go, ahem, celebrate at the end there?
The story beats all worked for me, even Kylo Ren's redemption, which I wasn't sure I would like. Once I started to really see he and Rey as the Son & Daughter in the Force (see Ghosts of Mortis, Clone Wars) I started to get it. Also, Ben Solo and Kylo Ren are different people really, as with Anakin and Vader - It worked for me and I am good with his "happy ending" in which he had to die. I was almost scared they wouldn't do it as they lingered on the shot for a bit too long, but it worked out. I also like how Hux hates Kylo so much he'd turn traitor, but I wasn't sure why that other General was in charge. Did Hux get a demotion and that's why he was mad? I'd have liked to see that explored a little more, but there really wasn't room for it.
Speaking of Clone Wars/Rebels, I was totally losing it to hear Ashoka's and Kanan's voices - nice inclusion! And the fleet - I NEED a still so I can pick out ship classes - The Ghost was definitely there and maybe the Shadow Caster (or a ship just like it). Oh man, was this movie for the Star Wars super-nerds - BUT, I could understand where someone who is not one may feel a little lost in it. I really do. That's probably why the critic scores are so low. Still, I am very satisfied with how everything turned out.
I need to see it again (and I plan to). I am not sure that it will hold it's place above Episode I in my heart, but only because I was listening to Duel of the Fates this morning. I don't think this movie had a piece of music as strong as that one, and it is one of the reasons I love TPM so much. We'll have to see on the final rankings, but ROS is still going to be very high on the list.
The opening is frantic and keeps you on edge - it did a great job of setting the tone for the film which never lets off the gas. I think that worked here, but it was definitely jam-packed!
While it is true that this movie went back on a lot of the major beats from TLJ, I don't think it repudiated them so much as brought in a different perspective. Characters grow and change. Luke can admit he was wrong without it invalidating the previous story - I think we all knew that, just some of us could accept that Luke might be wrong. He only did something that is right out of the Jedi playbook anyway as self-exile seems to be the go-to for a massive failure. That massive failure is also completely understandable now that it is known that Papaltine was always pulling the strings.
And Palpatine - man oh man, do I love him! Not to root for of course, but he's is so fun to watch. Ian McDiarmind is so great with that amazing evil cackle. And Sidious is such a butt-kicker - he went all Bendu (see Rebels) on those ships! BOOM! He's never messing around. I kinda hoped he would drop a light saber out of his sleeve and go at Rey for a minute - though she really might not have survived that!
I was a little worried about how Lando would come off, but he was amazing! Wonderful. I also loved Zori Bliss (looks so cool) and Babu Frik. Is it just me or are Zori and Poe going to go, ahem, celebrate at the end there?
The story beats all worked for me, even Kylo Ren's redemption, which I wasn't sure I would like. Once I started to really see he and Rey as the Son & Daughter in the Force (see Ghosts of Mortis, Clone Wars) I started to get it. Also, Ben Solo and Kylo Ren are different people really, as with Anakin and Vader - It worked for me and I am good with his "happy ending" in which he had to die. I was almost scared they wouldn't do it as they lingered on the shot for a bit too long, but it worked out. I also like how Hux hates Kylo so much he'd turn traitor, but I wasn't sure why that other General was in charge. Did Hux get a demotion and that's why he was mad? I'd have liked to see that explored a little more, but there really wasn't room for it.
Speaking of Clone Wars/Rebels, I was totally losing it to hear Ashoka's and Kanan's voices - nice inclusion! And the fleet - I NEED a still so I can pick out ship classes - The Ghost was definitely there and maybe the Shadow Caster (or a ship just like it). Oh man, was this movie for the Star Wars super-nerds - BUT, I could understand where someone who is not one may feel a little lost in it. I really do. That's probably why the critic scores are so low. Still, I am very satisfied with how everything turned out.
I need to see it again (and I plan to). I am not sure that it will hold it's place above Episode I in my heart, but only because I was listening to Duel of the Fates this morning. I don't think this movie had a piece of music as strong as that one, and it is one of the reasons I love TPM so much. We'll have to see on the final rankings, but ROS is still going to be very high on the list.
My non-spoilery review is that I loved the movie, and if this movie is being criticized for too much fan service, Star Wars can fan service me all night long baby! Loved it. Not really a spoiler but I have to ask:
